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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: squash · press · mate · coach · pound · dip · ruler · prune

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. prune — to trim
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mate — a partner
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. squash — to crush
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pound — a weight
  16. press — to push
  17. squash — the sport
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — newspapers
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. mate — a friend
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. squash — the vegetable

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com